Former Heath City Schools superintendent, mayor Dupps remembered for many contributions
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HEATH − Few people in Heath had a greater impact than Dan Dupps, who died March 30 at age 81.
Dupps started as a teacher and then became principal at Heath High School. He moved on to become the second superintendent in the school district's history. Following his career in education, Dupps served as Heath mayor for a decade.
He is remembered for many contributions to the community, beginning in 1969, when he accepted a teaching position at Heath High School following graduation from Ohio University.
Paul Collier, former Heath High School principal, came to Heath in 1973 to serve as an assistant principal after Dupps became principal. Collier said the two remained friends ever since.
“He started out as a teacher of government,” Collier said. “He taught civic duty. He did all he could for his community. He spoke to seniors at graduation. He always told them to get involved in your community.”
Dupps taught English as well as government from 1969-1973, served as principal from 1973-1982, then superintendent from 1982-1994. He was elected mayor in 1997, leading the city until 2007.
“He could have been called Mr. Heath City Schools,” Collier said. “He was very dedicated to the school system. He was very dedicated to all those positions."
Bob Hughes, former Heath athletic director, said the election of Dupps as the city’s mayor seemed appropriate.
“It really wasn’t a surprise because he was well thought of in the community,” Hughes said. “He was very honest and very fair. He worked hard at what he did and was very conscientious. He called it the way he saw it.”
Trevor Thomas, superintendent of Heath City Schools, said he met Dupps soon after he moved there in 2007 and chatted with him numerous times through the years.
"He has been extremely supportive of everything in the school system; never judgmental," Thomas said. "He has been tremendous — very kind and very helpful. The staff that was here has nothing but good to say about him as superintendent."
Since leaving the mayor's office, Dupps volunteered in the school system in various ways, including speaking to the students, Thomas said. Dupps' daughter, Andra Kisner, is principal at Stevenson Elementary School.
Mayor Mark Johns said the city faced some financial challenges during the time Dupps was mayor.
“He had to make some real difficult decisions," Johns said. "He was mayor after the economic downturn after 9/11, and there were serious challenges to the revenues the city uses to provide services. Had he not been willing to make the tough decisions, it’s hard to imagine what this community would have been like.”
City Council President Tim Kelley said the experience as school district superintendent likely helped Dupps deal with the challenges he faced as mayor.
"He already knew how to handle big budgets and unions," Kelley said. "He was well-equipped.
"Heath was going through some lean times when he was mayor. He did a great job keeping the city going and I’m thankful for that. He used his brain and didn’t just go flying off by the seat of his pants. He was real level-headed. He got the big picture.”
Johns said Dupps remained involved in the community long after his tenure as mayor and enjoyed watching the city grow.
“Every single time I’d see him, he’d express to me how he enjoyed seeing things happening with the city; the new business and manufacturing," Johns said.
Dupps was born Nov. 11, 1942, in Cincinnati and graduated from Deer Park High School in 1961. Following graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, serving on the USS Intrepid. He was honorably discharged in 1965, when he went to Ohio University. In 1966 he married Shirley Sonja Dubar, his wife for 57 years.
He was a member of Heath Sertoma, the American Legion Post 771, serving as its first commander, Newark Rotary, Licking Memorial Hospital Board from 1991-1995, Newark-Heath Licking County Port Authority and Heath United Methodist Church. He was chairman of the Licking County Hospital Commission and served as a director on the Energy Cooperative Executive Board from 2010-2022.
“I don’t think one could overstate his impact on the city of Heath," Johns said. "His impact on what this community has been and will be, will always be there. Unquestionably, our community is better for having Dan Dupps.”
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This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Dupps remembered for service as Heath school superintendent, mayor
